Fountain comb



May 10, 194g..`

J. H. FRANCIS FOUNTAIN coMB 'Filefd'March 20,' 1947 Fig. 2.

la 2a l l Invento'r John H. Francis Patented May 10, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 1 Claim.

This invention relates generally to fountain combs, and more particularly to a fountain comb designed to make the same adaptable for use as a pocket comb, a ladys dressing comb, a comb for the use of animal lovers who desire to comb the hair or fur of a pet While simultaneously applying la light oil or disinfectant, and the like.

It is a primary object of this invention to provide a comb with a reservoir for a fluid and With means whereby the flow of this uid to the teeth of the comb can be accurately controlled.

Another object of this invention is to provide a device of this character which can be conveniently carried in the pocket without great danger of soiling the clothes, the comb being also rendered safe for carrying in a handbag and the like.

Another object of this invention is to provide a comb of this character which is very easily cleaned.

And a last object to be specifically mentioned is to provide a comb of this character which is relatively inexpensive to manufacture and eX- tremely simple and easy to use, attractive in appearance, and adapted to provide for generally efficient land durable service.

With these objects definitely in view, this invention resides in certain novel features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts and portions as will be hereinafter described in detail and particularly set forth in the appended claim, reference being had to the accompanying drawings which form a material part of this application, and in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of this improved comb;

Figure 2 is a top plan View of the comb;

Figure 3 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view of the comb, taken on the line 3 3 in Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a horizontal longitudinal sectional view of the comb, taken on the line 4 4 in Figure 3; and

Figure 5 is a vertical transverse sectional view of the comb, taken on the line 5 5 in Figure 3.

Similar characters of reference designate similar or identical parts and portions throughout the specification and throughout the several views of the drawing.

Referring to the drawing in detail, which drawing represents only one preferred embodiment of this invention, it will be noted that the comb comprises a main rib portion I0, prefer-ably formed with an arcuate enlarged portion having a reservoir I2 and a filler opening closable by a screw plug I4. This reservoir lI2 is apertured,

as at It, to communicate the reservoir with a substantially cylindrical channel I8 which is disposed longitudinally of the rib portion IIJ and extends preferably the entire length of the comb, and is terminally closed by screw-threaded plugs 2l) and 22. In this connection, it should be noted that the end 24 of the channel I8 may be slightly tapered, that is, tapered from the position of the aperture I6 toward the end of the channel closed by the screw-threaded plug 20. This tapering insures the tight connection and closure of the aperture I6 by the valve plunger 26 which is inserted in the channel I 8 and very accurately sized to slide into the channel from the end closed by the screw-threaded plug 22 and to close the channel, as well as the aperture I6 when the limit of its free travel is reached. This valve plunger 26 is biased into the position described in the preceding sentence by a helical spring 28, one end of the plunger 26 being centr-ally drilled to receive an end of the spring 28, and the other end of the spring being secured in a small cup-shaped portion I9 on the screwthreaded plug 22. From the foregoing it will be obvious that the plunger 26 will normally close the aperture i6 and in order that the valve may be manually opened a finger grip 30 is secured by means of a pin 32 to this plunger 26, the rib portion Il! being longitudinally slotted as at 34 to accommodate the pin 32, and the side of the rib lll is flattened, as at 36 t0 provide a suitable sliding bearing surface for the flat side of the finger grip 30.

It is preferred that fine teeth, that is, closely spaced teeth 3B be provided at one end of the comb and that coarse or wid-ely spaced teeth 40 be provided at the other end of the comb, and that the spaces between the coarse teeth 40 be made to communicate with the portion 24 of the channel I87 by means of a plurality of short spaced channels 42.

The operation of this invention will be clearly understood from the foregoing description of the mechanical details thereof, taken in connection with the above recitation of th-e objects sought to be achieved by this invention, but it may be eX- pedient to point out that the valve plunger 26 performs a dual function in controlling the outlet aperture I6 of the reservoir and subsequently in forcing the fluid which has passed from the reservoir into the channel I8 through the small channels 42. It will be obvious that this construction makes it unnecessary to depend entirely upon gravity to obtain proper feeding of the fluid,

' and that heavier fluids, that is, fluids of greater viscosity may be used With this comb. Furthermore, it may be advantageous to note that the screw-threaded plugs 20 and 22 may be moved, allowing the extraction of the plunger 25 and the thorough cleaning of the comb.

Though there has been shown a particular embodiment of this invention this application is not limited to this particular embodiment, but it is desired to include in the scope of this invention the construction, combination and arrangement of parts and portions substantially as set forth in the appended claim.

I claim:

A fountain comb. comprising a main rib -provided with a reservoir and a longitudinally disposed channel, a pluralijlfjiof spaced teeth ono'nef side of said rib, an aperture allowing flow from said reservoir to said channel, a plurality of small channels leading from said channel to the eX'-.

terior of said rib at points between adjacent pairs of teeth, said first mentioned channel being substantially cylindrical, a, cylindrical and longitudinally shiftable valve vWithin said,` channel to open and close saidaperture, said valve being REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the li'lle of` this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date '792,124 Evans June 13, 1905 827,074 Baumruk July 31, 1906 1,005,412 Charles Oct. 10, 1911 1,517,696 Balko Dec. 12, 1924 1,645,038 Borer Oct. 11, 1927 2,222,176 Hickey Nov. 19, 1940 

